Freight-conveyer.



G. W. YOUNKMAN.

,, 3 4 FREIGHT GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1908.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

G. W. YOUNKMA'N. FREIGHT GONVEYER.

I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1908. 899,854, Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GEORGE W. YOUNKMAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FRE IGHT-CONVE YER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed February 10, 1908. Serial No. 415,120.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. YOUNK- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Freight-Conveyors, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in conveyors or transporters, and more especially or particularly to those of the general character and design set forth in detail in my prior patent No. 826,702, for fire escapes, and my co-pending application, Serial No. 375,849, for automatic freight carrying mechanism. In the devices of the patent and application, a pair ofcables is passed around pairs of upper and lower notched sheaves or wheels, platforms or other suitable supporting devices being fastened or clamped to the cables at intervals and affording means to act as carriers for freight or human beings.

This present invention concerns improvements in these platforms and the means for clamping or attaching them securely to the cables, the clamps being used as buttons or the like on the cables to cause their travel by cooperation with, and fitting in, the notches of the wheels as the latter are rotated. My novel and improved construction recommends itself because of its simplicity of construction, its economy of manufacture, its strength, and general adaptability for the use to which it is put.

On the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, I have illustrated the preferred and desirable embodiment of my invention, and on these drawings the same reference characters refer to like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a freight conveyer or lowerer, certain parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction of others; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the upper portion of the freight conveyer, and illustrates one of the u per notched wheels and the cooperation o the platform clamps on the cable with the notches; Fig. 4 illustrates in perspective the parts of one of the clamps, together with portions of the transverse shaft and cable; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the clamps which is used for fastening together the two ends of the cable Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on line 77 of Fig. 5, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of cable coupling clamp; and Fig. 9 is a cross-section on line 9 of Fig. 8.

As is clearly shown and described in my above-mentioned patent, the device has adj acent to one of the stretches of each of the cables a channel-shaped guideway 10, 10, portions of the pair of which are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. I have also shown on the drawings parts of the carrying cables 11, 11.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown one of my improved skeleton or openwork platforms 12 which has a central bar or strip 13, located between the cables, from which extend in opposite directions the projecting arms 14 and 15, the end of each of the former being extended upwardly a short distance at 16. Fastened to or cast integral with the ends of the platform is a pair of downwardly-extended arms or legs 17, 17. In the present instance I have shown these arms as attached to the platform by means of screws 18, but it is to be understood that the exact manner of attachment is quite immaterial. Extended through holes in the upper portion of the legs or arms 17 I provide a hollow shaft or tube 19, and on the opposite protruding ends of this shaft I socure clam s 20 which fasten the shaft to the cables. second or lower hollow shaft 21 is supplied at the lower ends of the arms 17 and passes through elongated slots 22 of the arms. To the outer ends of this hollow cylindrical shaft or tube I also fasten clamps 20 to secure the shaft 21 to the cables. The details of construction of each of these clamps are fully illustrated in Fig. 4, which also shows a portion of the shaft 19 and a part of one of the cables 11. The larger clamp member 23 has at its inner end a recessed hub 24 which fits over the end of shaft 19, the two being pinned together by a cotter-pin 25, see Fig. 2, passing through a ertures in the two parts. The other end of this clamping member is enlarged and supplied at its outer end with a cavity or re cess 26, the bottom of the recess having a substantially semi-cylindrical groove 27, while the top and bottom walls of the recess 28 and 29, respectively, are slotted at 30 and 31 to permit the cable to rest in the groove 27 and pass through the clamping member. The opposite sides 32 of the enlarged head of the member are flat and parallel and adapted to cooperate with the inner surfaces of the flanges of the channel guides 10 to prevent displacement of the platform. The exterior faces of the top and bottom walls 28 and 29 are convex, as is clearly illustrated. The smaller cooperating disk clamping member 33 has a groove 34 across one face to receive a portion of the cable 11, and is also supplied with apertures 35 through which pass the screws 36 into the threaded holes 37 of the companion clamp 23, the cable being firmly gripped and clamped between the two parts 23 and 33, and the disk member residing in the recess 26. As stated above, the opposite flat surfaces 32 eo-act with the flanges of the channel guides when the clamping members are in the same, and the curved surfaces of the walls 28 and 29 cooperate with the walls of the recesses 38 of the wheels 39 about which the cables pass, this cooperation being shown in Fig. 3.

The purpose of the slots 22 is to permit the shaft 21 to approach the shaft 19 when the platform passes around one of the wheels 39,

this shortening of the distance between the shafts being occasioned because the cables between the clamps on the ends of the shafts assume a curved position. As soon as these portions of the cable straighten out between the wheels the shaft 21 again passes to the lower ends of the slots 22.

The uniting or coupling clamp shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 is substantially like the head or enlarged portion of the clamp 23 except that it is provided with an aperture 40 through which the two ends of the cable 41 and 42 pass outwardly. As in the other instance, the ends of the cable are securely fastened between the two portions of the clamp which are brought into firm engagement with the cable by means of the screws 36.

It will be observed that the cable passes substantially centrally through each of the clamps, and that the latter form buttons or the like which cooperate with the notched wheels whereby the rotation of the latter is transmitted to the cables, causing them to travel together with the plurality of platforms fastened thereto. It will be apparent that the clamps are readily secured to the cables and released therefrom and do not require to be strung or threaded on the cables, but can be attached thereto at any point desired by merely bringing together the two parts of the clamp on opposite sides of the cable and screwing them together. The

-downwardly-projecting legs I? prevent the platform from tipping and maintain it in proper horizontal position as it passes from the upper pair of wheels to the lower pair.

The coupling clamp shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is substantially like that of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, except that the main body thereof has a rearwardly-extemled boss or hub 43 longitudinally apertured at 44 for the reception of the ends 41 and 42 of the cable. This boss or hub has a transverse recess or cavity 45 communicating with the flattened cable aperture 44 and is adapted to accommodate a U-bolt 46 bearing on the ends of the cable. The legs of the bolt pass through holes in the boss or hub and are equipped at their ends with tightening nuts 47 which permit the bolt to be drawn tightly against the cable ends, whereby the same are securely gripped between the bolt and wall of the boss. This bolt, as will be observed, acts as a supple mentary or auxiliary cable securing means.

Although I have described in detail the various features of my improved construe tion, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention is not limited and restricted to the precise structural features shown and described, but that these may be varied and modified to a considerable extent without departure from the substance and essence of my invention and without saerificing any of its benefits and advantages.

I claim:

1. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of downwardly-projeeting arms, an upper shaft below said platform extended through apertures in said arms and clamped to said cables, and a lower shaft extended through elongated slots at the lower ends of said arms and also clamped to said cables, substantially as described.

2. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of arms projecting therefrom at substantially right angles thereto, a shaft extended through apertures in said arms and clamped to said cables, and a second shaft extended through elongated slots in said arms and also clamped to said cables, substantiallyas described.

3. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform hav- 1 ing a pair of arms projecting therefrom at substantially right angles thereto, a shaft extended through apertures in said arms, a second shaft extended through elongated slots in said arms, and clamps securing the ends of each of said shafts to said cables, each of said clamps comprising a pan of members grooved on their proximate faces to accommodate the cable and means to cause the two members to grip the cable between them, substantially as described.

4. In a conveyer or transporter, the com bination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of arms projecting therefrom at substantially right angles thereto, a shaft extended through a ertures in said-arms, a second shaft exten ed through elongated slots in said arms, and clamps securing the ends of each of said shafts to said cables, each clamp comprising a member having a hollow hub receiving the end of the shaft and inned thereto and a second clamping member and means to cause the two members to grip the cable between them, substantially as described.

5. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of arms projecting therefrom at substantially right angles thereto, a shaft extended through apertures in said arms, a second shaft extended through elongated slots in said arms, and clampsat the ends of said shafts securing the same to said cables, each clamp having its external faces longitudinally of the cable flat and parallel and joined by curved or convex surfaces, substantially as described.

6. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of arms projecting therefrom, a shaft extended through a ertures in said arms, a second shaft exten ed through elongated slots in said arms, and clamps at the ends of said shafts securing the same to said cables, each clamp having a clamping mem ber fastened to the shaft at one end, recessed to receive its companion clamping member at its other end, and having the walls of its recess slotted to accommodate the cable, a second clamping member adapted to fit in said recess, and means to fasten said clamping members together whereby to grip the cable between them, substantially as described.

7. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of arms projecting therefrom, a shaft extended through apertures in said arms, a second shaft extended through elongated slots in said arms, and clamps at the ends of said shafts securing the same to said cables, each clamp having a clamping member fastened to the shaft at one end, recessed to receive its companion clamping member at its other'end, having the bottom of the recess grooved to partially accommodate the cable, and having the walls of the recess slot ted to receive the cable, a second clamping member adapted to fit in said recess, said second clamping member having a groove.

adapted to partially receive the cable, and means to fasten said clamping members together whereby to grip the cable between them, substantially as described.

8. In a conveyer or transporter, the combination of a pair of cables, a platform having a pair of arms projecting therefrom, a shaft extended through apertures in said arms, a second shaft extended through elongated slots in said arms, and clamps at the ends of said shafts securing the same to said cables, each clamp having a clamping mem' ber fastened to the shaft at one end, recessed to receive its companion clamping member at its other end, and having the walls of its recess slotted to accommodate the cable, said clamping member having fiat parallel external faces longitudinal of the cable, said faces being joined at their ends by curved or convex surfaces, a second clamping member adapted to fit in said recess, and means to fasten said clamping members together whereby to grip the cable between them, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character described, means to secure together the two ends of a cable comprising a clamping member recessed at one end to receive its companion 9O clamping member, said clamping member having an aperture through the same, communicating with said recess, and adapted to accommodate the ends of said cable, a second clamping member adapted to fit in said recess, and means to fasten said clamping members together whereby the cable ends may be firmly gripped between them, substantially as described.

10. In adevice of the character described, means to fasten together the ends of a cable comprising a clamping member having flat parallel external surfaces longitudinal of the cable, said faces being joined at their ends by convex surfaces, said clamping member having a recess at one end adapted to accommodate its companion clamping member, said clamping member also having an aperture extended therethrough to said recess to receive the ends of the cable, the walls of said recess being slotted to accommodate the ends of said cable, a second clamping member adapted to fit in said recess, and means to bind said pair of clamping members together to grip the cable ends between them, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the character described, means to secure together the two ends of a cable comprising a main clamping member recessed at one end to receive its companion clamping member, said main clamping member having a longitudinal aperture through the same, communicating with said recess, and adapted to accommodate the ends of the cable, a second clamping member adapted to fit in saidrecess, means to fasten said clam ing members together whereby the cable ends may be firmly gripped between them,

& 899,854-

said main clamping member having a recess up to clamp the cable ends between the on one slde communlcatlng W1th 1ts cable apsame and the body of the 111a1n clanqnng erture, a U-bolt fittmg 1n sald latter recess member, substantlally as dcscnbed.

and having its legs extended through the GEORGE \V. YOUNKMAN. 5 body of said main clamping member, and Vitnesses:

tightening nuts for the screw-threaded ends H. J. MARTIN,

of said bolts whereby the bolt may be drawn E. W. KILCRAN. 

